Little Fire
by aypproductions
Summary: Based in Mockingjay Part 1, with an intriguing twist. Katniss has agreed to be the Mockingjay. With the help of a little fire, will she succeed? (If you like katniss!baby fics, but still want to see all the action of Mockingjay this story is for you).
1. Chapter 1

When I met him he was a tiny wisp of a human being.

Standing by the incubator at District Thirteen's NICU, I judged that this baby would fit comfortably in my right hand. Tubes wove in and out of his face as his minuscule chest rose up and down with the support of the plethora of medical machines connected to him.

His eyes were shut tight on his wrinkly, red face. He looked, he was, vulnerable and weak, completely dependent on these complete strangers around him for -

"He's a fighter that one," says a pale willowy nurse, hovering over the other side of the incubator, startling me out of my reverie, "born two months early, never thought he'd live past the first hour."

"Oh." I said stupidly, looking down at the thing that was a human being. His skin was almost transparent in its delicacy and his beating heart was visible beyond a his ribcage. I looked up to the heart monitor above the baby, and watched the line go up and down.

Why did Coin order me to come and see this little creature before allowing me to meet her and talk about Peeta?

Peeta. Is he still alive? Is he dead? Or worse yet is he suffering at the merciless hand of President Snow because of me? Haymitch was supposed to save Peeta, not me. He promised.

I was so caught up in my thoughts about Peeta that I didn't notice the persistent beeping coming from the heart monitor until a nurse stepped urgently in front of me tending to the baby.

Something was wrong.

But before I could glance at the baby again, I was ushered swiftly out of the NICU, towards the elevators.


	2. Chapter 2

Boggs was waiting for me outside the elevator doors. Silently he pushed several buttons and beyond the protective bars of the door I could see the elevator descending to pick us up.

"Where are you taking me now?" I asked, vainly attempting to end the uncomfortable silence as we entered the elevator.

"Headquarters." he replied.

I nodded and looked down as we passed floor after floor of the underground complex of District 13, a place I thought that had been destroyed by the Capitol.

Shock, and disbelief are inadequate words to describe what I felt when Gale told me that District 12, no longer existed and myself, Prim, my mother and him were all in a district I had never known to exist.

It had taken me weeks to believe what was going on, everyday I was in flat out denial about District 13 or agony as I remembered that Peeta was in the Capitol. Haymitch didn't even dare show his face for those first weeks, probably struggling with the lack of alcohol in the district and fear that I would lash out at him again like I did on the hovercraft after the Quarter Quell.

The elevator finally stopped and we walked out. Boggs led me down a short hallway and through two heavy doors that he had to unlock by scanning his hand. Security is strict here in Thirteen.

Two people greeted me beyond the doors. Plutarch, in a grey, rather unbecoming jumpsuit, typical of Thirteen, and another lady. Straight silver hair past her shoulders wearing the same jumpsuit as Plutarch, but it seemed to suit her spare figure better. The wrinkles on her face, of which there were many, seemed to be less caused by time and age but carved out by pain. She moved swiftly from her chair towards me with admirable agility.

"I am so honored to finally meet you Ms. Everdeen," she said in a clear, slightly demanding voice, with her arm outstretched for a handshake, "I'm President Alma Coin."

I gulped and took her warm hand in my cold one. "Thank you." was all I could muster.

"I know how disorienting this must be for you. I can't imagine what it's like to live through the atrocities of those games. I hope you'll find some comfort with us. We've known loss in Thirteen too." she said, "I apologize that you were not given much time to recover but under the situations, we do not have that kind of luxury. Please sit."

Not knowing what else to do, I managed to sit down in one of the hard uncomfortable chairs surrounding a large meeting table.

"Are you aware of what has happened?" questioned Coin. "When you fired your arrow at the forcefield, you electrified the nation. There have been riots and uprisings and strikes in seven districts. If we keep this energy going, we can unify the districts against the Capitol. Everyone in Thirteen is ready."

"What about Peeta?" I interrupted, looking pointedly over to Plutarch. "Is he alive?"

"I don't know, I can't contact any of my people inside the Capitol." he replied, "But Katniss, here is what we need to do, we need to show the districts that the mockingjay is alive and well and willing to stand up and join this fight."

"We are planning to shoot a series of propaganda," interjected Coin "or 'propos' as I like to call them. I believe that you have already met Aiden?"

"Sorry?" I spluttered, still furious that there was no news on Peeta. I hadn't dare hope for anything but it angered me to hear Plutarch confirm my worst fears "Who is Aiden?"

"The baby." said Coin softly. "We plan on having him star in the propos alongside you."

I just stared at her.

"Let me explain," said Coin patiently, noting my obvious bewilderment at the idea, "when the districts believed you to be pregnant going into the Quarter Quell, it made them realize that it wasn't the tributes killing each other, but the Capitol killing innocent children. We want to continue with that idea, the baby will represent new life for our future generation and -"

"You didn't save Peeta," I raged suddenly, "and now you want me to film propos and lead the rebellion?! I can't do it, Peeta was the one that was supposed to live!"

"Ms. Everdeen, this revolution is about everyone, it's about all of us." replied Coin.

"Then you should have saved Peeta!" I screamed before storming out of the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Thankfully Boggs let me go back in the living quarters I shared with my mother and Prim afterwards. It was small but sufficient. I've learned that Thirteen does not give you more than you need.

After Boggs made sure I had entered the quarters he went away and I was left to sit in the little bed opposite a small vent, through which fresh air wafted in from above. Not like it helped, I hated the feeling of confinement, I needed to be out in nature with green trees for me to function properly, the forest is where I belong. Here, everything was underground, cramped and unforgivably grey.

As I fingered the pearl Peeta had given me in the arena, I let my thoughts wander to the baby, or Aiden as I should call it. What had happened to him before I left? Is he still alive? Either way, I'm not going to be the mockingjay, I can't. If they wanted somebody to be the voice of the rebellion they should have let Peeta live, not me.

I slept little that night. Drifting in and out of sleep, I would be pulled into consciousness by a sudden of feeling of rage and frustration only to find no relief in waking. I dared not get up and walk around for fear of waking my mother or Prim, so I just lay there waiting, dreading for sleep to wash over me again as the night dragged on.


	4. Chapter 4

I saw the tall figure hunched over one of the tables the minute I entered the cafeteria for breakfast.

"Gale," I cried as I ran over with my tray of grey porridge and hard bread. "Gale!" He got up and hugged me. I hadn't seen him since the day he told me that I was in District Thirteen, a few weeks ago. He has been working in Thirteen's military since he got here with almost no time for recovery.

"Hey Catnip." he said. I relaxed into his embrace, calmed by the strength of his arms wrapped around me and the steady beating of his heart against my ear.

We sat down for breakfast.

"Thank you," I said after a few moments, "for saving my mother and Prim." He nodded slightly over his meager bowl of porridge. Then he sighed, rubbed the strain from his eyes with a tired hand and turned to me. "They're planning on sending you back." he says slowly, "I tried to tell them that you wouldn't be ready for it but I have no say in President Coin's decisions. But seeing as you are their prospective mockingjay, I believe you have the right to - "

"No, I want to see it for myself."


	5. Chapter 5

"I can't believe you're going through with this." says Gale as we walk towards the hanger that holds Thirteen's hovercrafts. "You can say no."

"I need to see it for myself." I repeat determinately.

As we near the landing pad, a trap door opens in the belly of the hovercraft in front of us. Boggs guides us in and helps me buckle into my seat. Gale on the other hand, having been in one of these hovercrafts before, swiftly seats himself.

I look around as Boggs exits the trap door and it silently beings to close. The interior of this craft is wide and empty. I presume its normally for carrying cargo, not passengers even though there are a few seats near the windows. The sight of those seats sends me back to the Capitol hovercrafts that took us into the area, but I will my mind not to go there. I can't, I need to be myself for this trip back to Twelve. The pilots sit at the front of the plane in a small section closed off by sound-proof sliding glass doors.

I hear a whirring sound followed by a jolt as the hovercraft lifts up and starts to glide smoothly through the air.

I can't help myself but look out the window. It's been a long time since I have seen the outdoors and I was mesmerized by the green wilderness that now surrounds us as we fly. I look over to Gale and realize that I wasn't the only one wishing to be down in the forest.

The flight to Twelve doesn't take long, about twenty minutes, of which Gale and I spent staring, silently, out the window. I thought about how much game and other plants that could be down there. What would I do if I got my hands on a bow and arrow and found myself in this wilderness? I probably would get enough game in one day to trade for a good loaf of bread a the hob and -

"Katniss." I look up to see Gale standing above me. I attempt to get up but am pulled right back into my seat. I forgot that I was buckled in. Gale helps me get out before continuing.

"Thirteen swept everything top to bottom so you'd be safe. The hovercraft is going to be scanning the area while we are here. Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

I descend slowly down the trapdoor. My eyes, used to the dim light of the hovercraft find it hard to adjust to his sudden brightness. I'm squinting as I walk a safe distance away from the hovercraft before it takes off. The hovercraft hums to life and ascends slowly blowing up the dust from the ground.

A thin sheet of dust covers the tops of my boots after the hovercraft leaves and as my eyes adjust I begin to take it in.

The Capitol destroyed everything. There is no question of that. The hovercraft had landed in the Justice Building, or what was left of it at least. All that remained was a pile if rubble, with here and there a few cement bricks of wall that had managed to stay together. A few piles of rubble still smoked from the bombs that the Capitol had dropped, letting of an unpleasant smell. I rubbed my sweaty palms against my shirt, and realized that they were shaking. District Twelve, my home, no longer exists, blown to bits by explosions similar to the one that killed my father in the mines.

As I walk up a pile of rubble towards where I instinctively know is the hob, I hear a crack. Startled, I jump back and realized that right where my foot had been, mostly buried in the dust and rubble, is a skull.

I gasp, my shaking hands flying up to my mouth. I close my eyes in an effort to stop myself from screaming.

Breathing heavily, I manage to make it to the top of the mound, before falling to my knees. This time I couldn't suppress the cry that welled up from my stomach when I saw the graveyard of bones.


	6. Chapter 6

The Victors Village is the only part of District Twelve that has been left untouched. I walk swiftly up the porch and enter my house.

Everything looks the same. Except for a light coat of dust over everything.

I quickly go over to the kitchen and find my hunting coat on a peg beside the window. I pull it on, over my grey jumpsuit from Thirteen. Then I strap on my hunting bag, and for a second it feels as though it is a normal day, and I'll be heading out into the woods to hunt soon.

While I'm in the kitchen, I grab some of my mother's herbs and medicine and stuff them into my game bag.

I hear a crash to my right and startled, I whipped around, upsetting some of the bottles on the table.

It's nothing. Just that stupid old cat.

"Figures." I mutter under my breath.

I walk over to where the filthy beast was crouched, pick him up and stuff him into my game bag. "Don't you want to see Prim?" I ask when he tries to object.

I visit the living room next. There's nothing much here. I pick up a small framed picture of my father from the table and slip it into my pocket. It's one of the rare ones in which he has a faint smile on his face.

Then I smell it.

I had gotten used to the ashen smell of the district but this was different. It crept up on me the minute I entered the room. A sickly sweet smell, one that was trying to hide a scent of something rotting underneath. Laced with a hint of blood.

Snow.


	7. Chapter 7

The hovercraft lands softly in the hanger and I get out as quickly as I can. Gale stays back to tend to the hovercraft, but I head straight for my living quarters.

Prim's face glows when she hears the meow from my game bag.

"Buttercup!"

I take the beast out and immediately it's in Prim's arms. Darn cat.

"I don't know what they'll do if they find it here." says my mom, but she has a wistful smile on her face. I'm guessing she's glad to be reunited with some of her herbs and medicines.

I smile faintly as my family enjoys a moment of happiness, but in the back of my mind lurks the image of the skull and the smell of blood.


	8. Chapter 8

Nightmares pervade my unconscious, consciousness of sleep that night. Images of the bones, the rubble and the sickly sweet scent make me shiver. But worse than the images is when I dream that Peeta is here:

_"Will you stay with me?" I ask._

_"Yeah, of course." He replies, climbing into bed with me. I relax into his warm embrace, allowing myself to close my eyes._

_"Always." _

and I wake up to find the other side of my bed mercilessly empty, and my back cold with sweat.

"Can't sleep?" asked a little voice.

I shook my head like a child. No.

Prim gets up carefully from the bed that she shares with our mother and walks over to me. (I notice she takes care not to wake that cat as well.) I pull back my blankets and she crawls in.

"You can tell me." she says knowingly, "I'm good at keeping secrets, even from Mom."

"Nobody hates the Capitol more than me." I start. "I want to help but, even if we win the rebellion, I don't know what will happen to Peeta."

I pause. "I mean he's not safe anywhere."

"If you want something just ask." Prim whispers. "You could demand almost anything and they have to agree."

I slowly tuck a loose strand of hair behind my sister's hair. My little sister, who had suddenly become so strong and wise.

"I should wake you up more often little duck." I say softly.

Prim fell asleep in my bed shortly after.

...

**If you are enjoying the story so far, please leave a review so I know what you guys like and don't like. I'm thinking that I need to make some of the chapters longer but, you tell me what you guys think!**

**aypproductions**


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning in the cafeteria, I found Gale sitting at one of the low tables around the centre pillar of the room. I walked over with my tray of breakfast and sat down next to him.

"Hey." I said.

He looked up and nodded, acknowledging my presence. "Hey."

We eat our breakfasts in silence. I look up to the screens encircling the pillar. It's displaying a steady flow of Thirteen's news. I was just about to look down from a listing of repairs that would be going on today, when I see the screen flicker and go static. For a second, the screen goes black.

I try starting on my oatmeal again and realize that I don't have much appetite. Then I feel Gale nudging my shoulder. I look over and see his eyes fixed on the screen.

The Capitol seal in red and gold plays on the screen with the anthem blaring in the background. Then Caesar's voice booms over the anthem.

"Hello, good evening. A big welcome to all in Panem." he starts, "I'm Caesar Flickerman, and whoever you are, whatever you're doing put it down. If you're having dinner, stop having dinner. Because you are going to want to witness this, tonight."

He pauses for dramatic effect before continuing, "There has been rapid speculation about what really happened in the Quarter Quell, and here, to shed a little light on the subject for us is a very special guest.

Please welcome Mr. Peeta Mellark."

He was wearing a white tux with matching pants. He seemed to be sitting calmly in the plush seat across from Flickerman.

"Peeta, a lot of people feel as though they are in the dark . . . "

I get up slowly from my seat beside Gale, my eyes fixed, as though in a trance on the screen.

"Yeah, I - I know how they feel."

"So set the stage for us, talk us through what really happened on that final, and controversial night."

From my position in front of the monitor, I hear Peeta's voice coming from the speakers.

"You need to understand that when you're in the games, you only get one wish . . ."

"You're alive." I whisper.


	10. Chapter 10

The next day, I'm standing in front of Plutarch and Coin in Headquarters.

"Thank you. For agreeing to meet with me. I have decided that I will be your mockingjay, but I have a few conditions."

Hearing no objection from my audience I pull out a small slip of paper on which I had labored over all of last night, and continue on, rather shakily but confidently.

"Peeta and the other tributes, Johanna Mason and Annie Cresta will be rescued at the earliest opportunity. If and when Peeta is liberated, he will receive a full and unconditional pardon, no punishment will be inflicted, and the same goes for the other tributes."

I look up from my paper and stare expectantly at Coin. She nods ever so slightly, then, "No."

"It's not their fault you abandoned them in the arena." I counter. "They're doing and saying whatever they can to survive."

"Citizens don't make decisions in Thirteen." Coin says firmly, "There will be a tribunal and and a fair judgement. Thank you."

"The victors will be granted full immunity." I say, raising my voice in an attempt to match the anger I felt inside. "And you will announce that in front of the entire population of Thirteen, you will hold yourself and your government responsible, or you will find another mockingjay."

Plutarch slaps the table so suddenly, I jump.

"That's it," he cries, pointing at me, "that's her, right there. Isn't she who I promised you? We need a leader for this rebellion, we don't have more time. Trials, tribunals, can all be dealt with in the New Panem. This is worth the risk."

My eyes dart around the room, not knowing what to say.

"Do you have any other 'conditions'?" sighs Coin, looking towards me.

I pull out my crumpled list. "My sister gets to keep her cat."


	11. Chapter 11

"We need to shoot the propos as fast as possible." Plutarch says as we walk towards the elevators after leaving Headquarters. "Our plan is to have you film the first one with Aiden."

I nod, not knowing what to say.

Plutarch hits several buttons and we get in the elevator. It starts to descend.

So Aiden was fine. I had forgotten that he would be part of the propos as well. I nervously try think to all the experiences I had with babies. Nothing comes up. When Prim was a baby, I was too little to remember anything and I had never had to come across little kids when I was growing up in Twelve.

The elevator stops two floors below ground level. The hospital is placed here as it is deeper in the ground and therefore, safer. Plutarch leads me silently through the quiet hallways into the pediatric unit. I note that there are only two kids in this hospital. Prim told me that most of the children were wiped out in an epidemic two years ago. Coin lost her husband and daughter as well.

The scent of disinfectant and rubbing alcohol sting in my nose as we enter a closed off section of the hospital: the NICU. Plutarch goes over to talk with one of the nurses behind the reception table while I wait.

I mentally note that I dislike hospitals.

Plutarch returns with a short, plump nurse and puts a warm hand on my shoulder. "We think that it is best if you have some bonding time with Aiden before we shoot the propo." he says "Libby, here is going to stay with you."

"Alright." I say, swallowing hard. I don't know why I'm so nervous. Maybe it's because this is my first duty as mockingjay.

"Great." says Plutarch and he leaves.

"Hello Ms. Everdeen," says Libby in an excited voice. "Let's go meet Aiden!"

I follow Libby's wobbling footsteps towards a patient room. As we enter, I hear the faint beeping of a heart monitor and as the door opens, I see the incubator.

The baby seems to be doing better than before. I'm not Prim or my mother, but he seems to be breathing on his own now. The only thing connected to him is a thin yellow tube that travels down the side of his tiny face and into his nose. And from the looks of it Aiden has managed to gain some weight. His skin is less transparent and his cheeks have a slight blush on them.

"He's doing much better," says Libby, as though in response to my thoughts, "He had a little relapse with his lungs a little while ago, but he's bounced back like a ball."

"Who are his parents?" I ask bluntly, not knowing anything else to say.

"He doesn't have any." says the nurse quickly, pursing her lips. "The mother died due to bad health and the stress of childbirth, that's why he was born so early. And the father didn't even know of Aiden's existence when he died so . . ."

I stare at the little creature laying on it's stomach in the incubator. An orphan.

"Well!" says Libby in a tone that reminds me of Effie when she is trying to take control of a situation. "He's strong enough for you to hold. If you would like to Ms. Everdeen."

"No, I can't." I say hurriedly, taking a step back. My arms were no place for a fragile baby, there was no way I could protect it.

"Alright," says Libby, unfazed, "you can just spend some time in here then. Take a seat next to the incubator, yes like that, you can touch him if you like, and I'll be back in a jiffy, I just have to go check on my other patients."

Libby bustles out, leaving me and the baby in complete silence except for the persistent beeping of the heart monitor.

For a moment, I just sit there as though struck dumb. Then I turn towards the baby. He hasn't stirred since I entered but now he's stretching his little fingers and lets out a small squeak.

Not wanting the baby to cry, I hesitantly stick a finger through the hole in the incubator and stroke the soft, velvety skin on the back of his hand. Instead of calming down, he reacts to my touch by stretching out his fingers again and grabbing my thumb. I freeze, not knowing what to do next. My mother or Prim would be much better in this situation.

The baby slowly opens his unfocused eyes, then gazes at me curiously.

And I notice with a shock that his eyes are blue.

Just like Peeta's.


	12. Chapter 12

"Effie!" I cry as I see her sitting at a table in the cafeteria for breakfast the next morning.

"Katniss," she says in her Capitol accent. "How are you?"

She is dressed like anybody else in Thirteen. Dark grey jumpsuit and brown workers boots but she stands out amongst the others. It's obvious that she is struggling with Thirteen's sense of fashion.

In an attempt to make herself look more fashionable she has tied a patterned handkerchief over her hair as a replacement for her wig and is sporting oversized, rose tinted sunglasses to mask her naked eyes. I never thought I'd be glad to see her, but part of me feels sympathy towards her.

"What are you doing here?" I ask as I sit down.

"I'm here as a political refugee," she says quickly "Plutarch got me in."

I realize that like me, she feels out of place and confused, but she is trying to cope.

"Can you believe this place," she continues as she picks up her her plastic cup of water, "I miss **coffee**."

She sighs before brightening up a bit, "But, seeing as I'm the only competent person in this group of - of **savages** I will be doing my part for my mockingjay." She turns around and hauls a large portfolio on to the table.

"What's this?" I ask as I open it.

It was filled with sketches of a costume. A moulded breastplate, a sheath of arrows, a resemblance of wings on the beautifully designed shoulder pads.

"It's beautiful." I breathe.

"Cinna didn't want you to see it until you had agreed to be the mockingjay yourself." says Effie gently.

I look back down at the beautiful watercolor sketches, "Cinna, he's . . . dead?" I ask slowly.

Effie purses her lips and nods.

I look down at the sketches of the costume Cinna had painstakingly designed for me. "I'm still betting on you." he had scrawled at the bottom of the page.

"They have it." says Effie, "They have the Mockingjay costume."

...

"Okay," says Plutarch into my ear piece.

I'm standing in the middle of a studio on an elevated platform, wearing the Mockingjay costume. Plutarch and other tech workers are standing in a sound proof room across from me separated by a two-way pane of glass. Effie, to my right, is trying to make herself useful.

Armed with comb and makeup, she swoops down on me like a hawk whenever she sees a flyaway hair or any imperfections by the Capitol standards.

"Let's have you hold Aiden and I want you to kneel than get up, like you have just finished a battle." Plutarch says.

"Don't worry," he says as I look around at the bare studio, "we'll fill in the background later."

I nod and Aiden is placed gently into my arms with his head resting on my breastplate. He is dressed in a soft one piece costume that covers his hands and feet resembling my own, complete with a tiny hood. I notice that the hood has a little mockingjay sewn on it.

I am shaking.

"Great, now pretend you have just got up from battle. Raise one arm and declare 'Panem, we fight, we dare to end this hunger for justice!'" says Plutarch.

Slowly I bend down on one knee. I can feel my legs shaking as I try to hold Aiden without dropping him. Now that I have him in my hands I realize that he is even smaller than I anticipated. My entire hand covers his back.

"Whenever you're ready." says Plutarch.

"Panem, we fight, we dare, to - to end this hunger for justice." I say lamely as I stand up shakily.

Effie cries "Cut!" and rushes over to me. "Katniss, be careful, support the head, support the head."

I look down and realized that Aiden's head has fallen to the side. He can't support it by himself and he looks uncomfortable in my arms. He lets out a small squeak before opening his toothless mouth and starting to cry, his face wrinkling up like a prune.

The panic is probably etched into my face as Effie tries to get both of us to calm down. "Don't worry Katniss, just rock him back and forth, he should stop crying if. . ."

Effie's attempts to calm us down just make Aiden scream louder. (He has surprisingly good lungs for someone so small).

"I - I can't," I say over Aiden's screams. I try vainly to loosen my death grasp that I had put on him for fear that he would fall.

"And **that** is how a revolution dies." booms a loud voice


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey! Thanks to all the people who have read my story! I really hope you guys are enjoying it so far. I will try my best to update regularly, but in the meantime, it would be awesome if you guys left reviews or comments on the story. Its still a work in progress so if you guys would like to see something change, just leave a comment. **

**Happy Reading!  
****aypproductions :) **

* * *

Haymitch rounds a corner of the studio.

He looks terrible. He is wearing the typical Thirteen jumpsuit but it looks as though it has not been washed in weeks. Stains and smears of food cover his chest. His hair, which is stuffed into a toque, is ragged and uncombed. His straggly beard makes Effie cringe.

His eyes are sunk with the obvious signs of withdrawal. But his pupils have a clarity to them that I have not seen before: he's dead sober.

"Sweetheart, you're choking the worm in your arms." he says bluntly. To my surprise, he walks over and swiftly takes Aiden from my grasp and carries him under his arm like he is holding a football. The baby starts to calm down, his cries turning into whimpers and eventually occasional hiccups.

"You've missed me so much, you're speechless." he says, confidently.

"Maybe I don't recognize you sober." I say. I am truly disgusted by him. Everything he has done.

"And there she is again." says Haymitch, "Ever so kind, no wonder Arden loved to be held by you."

"Aiden." corrected Effie vainly.

"Come on sweetheart," says Haymitch, "let's get you out of here."


	14. Chapter 14

After disposing of Aiden in the studio, Haymitch leads me through a series of corridors and down a flight of stairs. In an empty hallway he turns towards me.

"Say it."

"What?" I ask exasperated.

"You know - " he starts, rolling his eyes.

"I can't believe that you left Peeta in the arena." I say. "You promised me that he would be the one to live."

Haymitch nods his head slowly, his arms crossed.

"And I can't believe that you left him out of your sight." he says looking up.

I look at my feet, not knowing what to say.

"Look here sweetheart," Haymitch says "we both fucked up. But the important thing is that Peeta is still alive. And so are we. We can't backdown now, you need to lead this rebellion for everyone. For Peeta."

I nod.

"Now I don't know what kind of shit they were planning for you in that studio but it sure as hell was not working." he says.

"Then what are you proposing?"

"That we send you into combat." says Haymitch.

...

"No." replies Coin flatly when Haymitch proposes the idea in our next meeting together. "It is too dangerous, we cannot guarantee your safety."

"Name a moment that Katniss Everdeen truly moved you." interjects Haymitch, unfazed.

"Oh, when Katniss volunteered for her sister, at the reaping." says Effie.

"Great, what else?"

"When she sang the song for little Rue."

"Right." continues Haymitch "Katniss Everdeen does not need a script to move a nation. We need to send her into the real world and let her own voice lead this rebellion. Not some crap that your writers come up for you."

As Haymitch finishes, Coin looks towards me. "And what if you're killed?"

"Make sure you get it on camera." I counter.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Haymitch smile.


	15. Chapter 15

I'm back in my living quarters after the meeting when I hear a tap on the door. Prim and my mother have both started working in the hospital and I really am not in any mood to deal with anybody as my mind is still trying to process what Haymitch had told me and the new role that I will have to take on tomorrow during the shoot.

I just lay there.

"Ms. Everdeen," says a familiar voice. It's definitely not Effie, its lacking that capitol lilt and I'm certain it's not Haymitch. "would you like me to come back?"

I get up reluctantly and answer the door.

Libby stands in the hallway dressed in her grey nurse scrubs. Next to her, is a small hospital trolley with a small bundle on it. "Hello?" I say.

"Ah, yes." says Libby as she rolls a squirming Aiden into my room. "Let us begin."

"Sorry?" I ask, closing the door.

"President Coin would like you to get to know this little guy better for when you shoot your propos. She heard that todays filming did not go well with Aiden." she says confidently, putting her hands on her wide hips.

"Um, no, I'm not . . ." I protest.

Unfazed, Libby rattles on, "You two are gonna have to get to know each other better for tomorrow's combat shoot."

"It's not safe." I say. I suddenly realize that I care about this child's safety. I can't afford to care about someone else but I find myself feeling unwillingly protective towards Aiden: we're both alone in a world we cannot control.

Libby lifts Aiden slowly and he whimpers as he is placed in my arms. His eyes are open and looking into mine. Wearing nothing but a diaper underneath a small white blanket he looks more vulnerable than ever. "Is he ready?" I ask quietly, looking down at those familiar blue eyes.

"Oh yes," says Libby, "he's small but he can support himself. And when he's in combat he'll just be strapped to you with a special harness, he can manage that."

Libby packs up the trolly and heads towards the door.

"Where are you going?" I ask as I seat myself on the bed.

"I'll be back soon to help you feed him." says Libby closing the door, leaving me and Aiden in silence.

...

I look shyly down at the bundle in my arms. Thankfully, the baby looks content and not about to cry.

I notice that a downy, fuzz of blond hair is starting to grow in soft curls on his head.

Aiden starts drooling out of his mouth and I hesitantly wipe it away with the corner of the blanket.

Then he smiles at me, a toothless, slobbery smile. I can't help but smile back as I settle down more comfortably on my pillows. I'm careful to support his head. (Thanks Effie.)

He stretches out a small arm and grabs the end of my braid. He tugs on it, amused. I let him play with my hair and we sit like this for a little while. Aiden playing with my braid and me staring back at him.

When I first met him, I did not believe that such a small thing could contain life. He has gained some weight since his stay in the NICU but in my arms, he seems the size of a skinned rabbit.

I remember what I had told Gale in the forest on the day of the reaping, that I would never have children because I could never protect them from the Capitol. I still feel the same way but Aiden seems independent. He may be small, but he's a fighter.

We're both in the same game, just different levels.

Aiden opens his mouth and sneezes.

He seems rather surprised by this sudden bodily function and after a moment of silence, is bottom lip starts to tremble and he lets out a small wail.

"Oh no."

I hurriedly reason that he is cold. After all, his blanket has slipped to the side and he is wearing nothing but a diaper, they must have taken away his little mockingjay costume.

I'm afraid to put him into my bed for fear that the big blankets will smother him. Not knowing what else to do I unbutton the first three buttons of my jumpsuit and press his soft skin against my chest. I wrap the small blanket over his back, hoping to keep him warm.

After a couple of moments his cries subside and he looks up to me with watery blue eyes.

Awkwardly I stare back. I've never opened myself up to anyone else like this and the last thing I needed now was to explain myself to this baby.

To my surprise, Aiden just rests his downy head on my collarbone, snuggles closer to my breast and after a while, falls asleep.

I realize, as I am slowly lulled to sleep as well, that he already trusts me.

Yet I don't trust myself.


	16. Chapter 16

I wake from my snooze with a jerk. My hand is resting on Aiden's bare back. I'm thankful that I had no nightmares to scare him.

Careful not to wake my little companion, I pull myself up with my free arm from a lounging position to a sitting position. I don't know how long I was out for but I feel better rested than I've been for the past few days.

I realize that Aiden's presence has calmed me. He gives me something to focus on other than worrying over things I can't control.

Someone knocks on the door.

I'm deciding whether or not to open the door when it opens to reveal Prim. "Oh," she starts, when she realizes that I'm in our living quarters, "I thought mom would be in here."

"Nope," I say gently, "it's just us."

"Us?" asks Prim, walking over to the foot of my bed, "Oh!" she cries when she sees Aiden snuggled against my chest, still sleeping.

I blush, realizing that Prim has never seen me like this. I usually disassociate myself with children, let alone babies. "This is Aiden . . ." I start hesitantly.

Prim picks up the introduction and walks over to me, "Hi Aiden, I'm Prim." she says with a childish shyness that makes me smile.

"He's the baby Mockingjay." I say with almost maternal pride while blushing redder than ever. Prim nods with understanding.

Another sharp rap on the door wakes us all out of our reverie. Aiden stirs and I wrap my arms protectively around him. Prim walks over to the door while I attempt to cover up the parts of my chest that are revealed.

It's Libby. She waddles in, unhinged by my hurried covering of my chest with Aiden's small blanket. After introducing herself to Prim she heads over to me with two bottles filled with a white, milky substance and a strange looking contraption.

"Aiden must be hungry now," she says, "how was your bonding time?"

I just stare up at her, arms wrapped over Aiden, partially to keep him warm and partially to cover myself up.

"Good." says Libby in a self assured voice seeing the way Aiden and I are snuggled together. I blush even more, if that's possible. "Let's get Aiden dressed."

She pulls out a little grey onesie from her large pocket and takes Aiden. I button up my shirt and get up as fast as I can. Aiden didn't seem to like his sudden removal from my body and after taking in his new surroundings starts to cry. Swiftly, Libby stuffs him into the one-piece and hands him back to me.

Prim stands off to the side, observing while Libby sits me down in a small chair and instructs me how to feed Aiden.

"He's off the nose tube now, which means he can eat food through his mouth." Libby explains. "Keep his head in the crook of your elbow, that's right, and let him latch on to the bottle."

I watch as Aiden begins to slowly suckle on the bottle.

"Now that is how he has been fed since he was off the nose tube but . . ." starts Libby, now it's her turn to blush, "we were hoping that you could provide him with something more, oh you know, intimate."

Not understanding, I look up and see Prim, slowly backing away towards the door.

"What?" I ask stupidly looking from Prim to Libby and back again.

Prim just blushes, "I gotta go back to the hospital anyways to check on mum."

I look towards Libby who now has gone red as a beet. She fumbles around with the contraption in her and before clearing her throat:

"Breastfeeding."

* * *

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**Next chapter up soon. **

**aypproductions**


	17. Chapter 17

I storm down the hallway towards the elevators. At the end of the wing where my living quarters are, I am confronted by two guards.

"Let me out!"

"Sorry, Ms. Everdeen, we are not allowed to let you leave without an escort."

"I need to talk with President Coin," I seethe, "let me go!"

"We do not have permission to -"

"She's with me." says a voice. It's Plutarch.

The guards immediately stand aside and we make our way towards the elevators. It's a silent ride down to HQ, but I'm really in no mood to talk.

"Whose fucking idea was it?" I scream the minute I see Coin. She looks slightly taken aback at my introduction, but she puts down her pen and gazes towards me.

"I'm afraid I don't understand." she says cooly.

"Aiden! I thought that we were just gonna shoot some propos and thats it. I did not agree to build a relationship with him!" I splutter.

"Will you sit down please." says Coin.

I look down at the hard chair Coin is gesturing to. "No."

"Alright then, let me just get straight to the point. As Haymitch said, you preform better when you are yourself. We want you to get closer to Aiden so that your interaction on screen will be as good as possible." Coin leans in closer, resting her hand on her chin, "Ms. Everdeen, we need these propos to be real."

"You're asking too much of me," I say, suppressing angry tears, "I can't protect Aiden, I can't get any closer to him, I can't . . ."

"You want to save Peeta, right?" interjects Coin, standing up.

I gulp as Coin places a firm hand on my shoulder, "Then the propos are our only way to unite the districts without Snow hurting Peeta."

...

I stay cooped up in my room that night. Thankfully Libby doesn't bring Aiden around again. It's just as well. Coin's words echo in my mind: _without Snow hurting Peeta._

The boy with the bread, the one who was supposed to live. Now, who knows what is happening to him in the Capitol at the merciless hand of Snow? Am I really doing the right thing to save - no but it's not just about him. It's about the whole of Panem.

I know that I won't be sleeping much tonight, with all these confusing thoughts rejuvenated by my conversation with Coin. It's hard for me to give up control, having others dictate my actions for the propos.

Yet somewhere inside me, I know that it's the best shot I have at saving Peeta.


	18. Chapter 18

**I can't believe that so many people have read and left reviews on my story. It as just a small idea that I had floating in my head for a while that I needed to get out. Thank you so much to the people who left reviews on my story. (I agree with you guys and I am working on making my chapters longer. :) **

**I love hearing from you! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

**aypproductions**

* * *

"I want you to meet Cressida, Castor and Pollux." says Boggs.

We're in the hovercraft hanger, waiting to get on our craft that will take us to District 8 to shoot the first combat propo.

"They are going to be shooting the propos with us."

I awkwardly shake their hands. "So you guys all escaped from the Capitol?"

Cressida nods while Pollux just nods, "Yep, we fled on our own, for this. For you."

I feel a slight tap on my shoulder and I turn. It's Haymitch, with Aiden in his arms. Aiden is wearing a suit much like my own, just way smaller. His full body suit is made of dark grey, tough fabric, woven, to protect from bullets. His head is protected by a tiny, black helmet with a small golden mockingjay painted on top. His hands and feet are covered as well. Cinna has made Aiden, a baby, look like a warrior.

Haymitch places him gently in my arms. "Hold him with his head resting on your chest and your hands under his bottom." he instructs gruffly.

He then proceeds to pull out a baby harness with a tough outer casing. "Now," he says fumbling with the straps, "let's attach you two."

Once Haymitch is all done, I am left with two straps going over my shoulders and a huge bump, where Aiden now rests without me having to hold him.

"Don't worry," says Haymitch when he sees my bewilderment at the contraption, "Aiden will only be on you for a little bit, he can't stay out there with you even if you wanted him to."

I nod, "Any last advice?"

"Stay alive."

...

The hovercraft glides silently over the trees on our way to District 8. I look around. Everybody is strapped into their seats, sitting silently. I notice that my seat is a little different, with extra straps to accommodate for Aiden.

My companion sticks his wet tongue out and looks up at me with those blue eyes of his. I make eye contact with him. Aiden looks at me for a little bit before turning his attention out the window and laying his head on my breast. He's still to small to support it fully all by himself, let alone with the added weight of the helmet.

"Were going to be landing soon." says Cressida, breaking the silence. I look up.

"Some things you need to know," she says, getting right to the point "this is just a quick trip as we cannot guarantee your safety. We're going to be visiting a hospital and we are going to film you there with the people, alright?"

I nod.

"Aiden will be with you but if we see any signs of distress, we'll pull him out and continue with the shoot. We want to be in and out as fast as we can."

"Ok."

...

We land in a cloud of dust. I'm ordered to wait a bit for the dust to settle before coming out with Aiden.

We walk towards a broken down building to the left of the hovercraft. I can see a woman standing at the entrance. As we approach she silently guides us through the narrow doorway. I look down at Aiden to see how he's doing. He gives a little forceful kick on my abdomen, I can tell he's confused.

Then we round the corner to the hospital. And I freeze.

Men, women and children lay on the ground. The whole scene is stained with red and brown of blood. I hear cries of agony, of people in pain. The air is filled with the smell of metallic blood mingled with infection.

Instinctively, I cover Aiden's eyes with my hand.

I look to my left and see a man, with his lower calf cut open, trying to stem the bleeding with a ragged piece of linen. I look to my right and -

Cressida seems to pick up on my discomfort and walks over to me. "I can't help them." I say, trying to hold back the stress in my voice.

"Just let them see your face," Cressida replies gently, "let them see Aiden. That's all you need to do."

I gulp and slowly take a few steps into the hospital. I take deep slow breaths, attempting to keep a nausea down.

"Katniss?" I hear, a whisper. A few people turn their heads to look at me. "Katniss."

I see hands reaching out to touch me, to see if I am real. A group of children look up to me with big eyes and I look towards Cressida. She nods.

Slowly, I bend down. A little girl with scratches all over her face reaches out and grabs my hand. "A-atniss?" she says uncertainly.

I try to smile and turn to a little boy who has noticed Aiden.

"Baby." he says pointing towards Aiden's head, peeking out from under the helmet. As I look the boy I see that one if his eyes is covered with a bloody eye patch and his hand his wrapped in dirty bandages.

I nod.

"Is that the baby?" a voice comes from across the room. Looking up I see an old lady looking towards me with concern. I hurriedly stand up and look towards Cressida. I was not expecting this question.

Obviously Cressida is taken aback, but quickly mouths "act natural". I look down at Aiden who looks back at me with eyes that look so much like Peeta's.

"Uah, yes." I say, just above a whisper. "We came to visit you."

The whole room is now quiet. All eyes are on me.

"You're here to fight - fight with us?" says a teenage boy as he stands up.

"Yes." I say.

"I am, I will."


	19. Chapter 19

"Amazing." booms Plutarch, "Just amazing."

I'm back in HQ with Plutarch, Coin, Effie and Beetee.

"The footage we got from District 8 is just what we needed for a propo. The mockingjay is here to fight with the people!"

We had just watched the propo that Beetee had edited. The images of the hospital are still fresh in my mind.

"I've gotten into the Capitol's TV broadcast system." says Beetee "It should be easy for me to now play the propo for all the districts to see."

"Excellent." says Coin cooly, not sharing in Plutarch's loud celebration. "We shall wait to see how the districts respond before any further actions." She turns towards me. "In the meantime, I think it would be a good idea if you took care of Aiden."

"Ahem," interjects Effie "President Coin, I believe that that is asking a lot of Ms. Everdeen. As her **personal** care assistant, I believe that it is my right to say that it will be a lot of added work for someone who is already leading a rebelli -"

"No, I'll do it." I say firmly.

...

As I make my way down to my living quarters, I think about the responsibility that I had taken up. Was I really able to take care of Aiden?

As I round a corner, I see Libby standing in the hallway with the baby tucked under her arm. She is smiling from ear to ear. "Hello!" she cries, "Aiden's been waiting for you."

As I move closer, I see what she means. In her other hand, she is carrying two bottles of milk and the weird contraption.

I roll my eyes and sigh silently. But despite this, I feel a willingness growing inside me.

I enter the room and Libby hands me a set of instructions along with the little machine. "You'll figure it out."

I smile and nod, closing the door leaving me alone inside my living quarters with Libby and Aiden waiting patiently outside.

Sitting down on my bed, I quickly skim over the instructions which seem pretty straightforward. The whole point of the contraption was to simulate the intimacy of breastfeeding. The milk would be coming from the two bottles Libby brought. I quickly attach the necessary pieces to my body and hook up the tube to the mouth of the bottle.

"Ready?" says Libby.

"Eerm, yeah."

Libby steps in with the baby and hands him to me. "Let him latch on like before and it should work out." she says quickly, adverting her eyes.

Awkwardly I wait for Aiden to latch on and start suckling. I manage to cover myself up before Libby turns around. She is now sitting on my mother's and Prim's bed, looking kindly towards me.

"How old is he?" I ask quietly over the small suckling noises of Aiden eating.

"Let me see now," contemplates Libby, "about two months."

I nod and we sit for a while in silence.

"Aiden means 'little fire'." says Libby, breaking the silence. "It's quite fitting."

"Who named him?" I ask, looking up from the baby in my arms.

"Snow did."


	20. Chapter 20

**Sorry guys for the cliffhanger last time, huehuehue. But now the chapter is here. It's relatively short but at least it will explain the last chapter. **

**Thank you so much for supporting this story. Please continue to review, it makes me so happy every time I get a response from you guys. :)**

**Update coming soon, aypproductions.**

* * *

Libby seems to sense that she has stepped way out of line when she sees my expression. I must look like I had just been slapped in the face.

"Ah, I mean that, you know . . ." she stutters.

I just stare at her.

"Let me explain." says Libby, looking around. "It gets very complicated but you deserve an explanation."

"What have you guys been keeping from me?" I say. Aiden's suckling seems to be getting more painful by the second.

"Snow did not believe that you were pregnant going in to the Quarter Quell. However, he thought that if he went along with the idea that it may pacify the districts. It would show that he was supporting innocent life." Libby begins. "So before you went into the games he requested to have Peeta and your DNA on file, therefore if you by some miraculous chance, won, he would be able to use your child to manipulate you to cooperate with him."

Libby purses her lips before continuing. "He was in the middle of using your and Peeta's DNA with capitol fertility technology to create the baby when you suddenly blew up the arena. Aiden was the code name for the project, a jab at the fact that you are the 'girl on fire'. He stopped the baby's development but by that time Aiden was already -"

"Already what?" I ask hoarsly.

"Already alive." Libby responds.

"How did Aiden end up in Thirteen?"

"Cressida, Castor and Pollux knew of Aiden's existence and they managed to rescue him before Snow could get his hands on him, and brought him over."

"You made up the story about his parents when I first met you?" I ask, trying to keep my voice calm.

Libby nods lamely, "President Coin didn't want you to know."

I don't even know what to think anymore. Libby has just paralyzed me with an onslaught of information that has knocked me dumb. I quickly hand Aiden back to a subdued Libby. "I need a minute."

Libby leaves with quickly Aiden, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Great.


	21. Chapter 21

In my mind, I try to eliminate that Aiden is my child. No. I cannot deal with that right now.

Attempting to push that to the back of my thoughts I focus instead on Peeta. Those blue eyes and blond hair of his is exactly replicated in Aiden. His son.

I let the gravity of those works sink in. How could I not have seen it earlier?

And Snow was planning on using Peeta's child to manipulate me. I don't even know what to think. Like I said to Prim on that night, 'nobody hates Snow more than I do', my new knowledge on Snow's plans has made me furious.

I feel an anger boiling up inside me, not only because I was in the dark on all this for so long, but because I realize that he is still in the dark. Peeta doesn't know that he has a child.

Suddenly I feel glad that I shot that arrow in the arena, I managed to foil Snow's plan and thanks to Cressida and the others, Peeta's child is safe, safer.

Peeta needs to live to see Aiden. He deserves to know that he has a child.

"Snow made a mistake naming him Aiden." I whisper to myself, "Cause if we burn, he is going to burn with is."

...

The next day, I wake up early with a determination. It was not only President Coins intentions driving my actions now.

I wait restlessly in my room, after Prim and my mother have left for the hospital, for someone to rundown todays schedule but by eight in the morning, I decide to head down to breakfast.

I expected to see Gale sitting at his usual spot in the cafeteria, but this morning, he is nowhere to be found. I don't see Cressida, Boggs, Castor or Pollux either.

I pick up my tray of grey food in confusion. Where were they? Sure I might be a bit late coming down to breakfast but they can't have left so early. My eyes scour the faces in the room once more. My eyes finally land on one that stands out, a lot.

Effie.

I hurriedly walk over to her. "Effie!" I say, never thinking I'd be so thankful to see her.

"Katniss! How **are **you my dear?" says Effie and before waiting for a response she rattles on, "I'm doing alright, under the, **conditions**." her eyes sweep the grey room with distain.

I smile to myself. Effie still is struggling with living in Thirteen. She has ditched the rose sunglasses but a black handkerchief is still wrapped tightly around her head. I find myself wondering what Effie's hair really looks like.

I pick up my spoon to start on my oatmeal when a recognizable emblem appears on one of the may screens around the room and the Capitol anthem blares over the speakers.

I look up to see Caesar Flickerman, dressed in an extravagant crimson suit sitting comfortably on a white leather couch. It seems as though we had cut in, mid-interview,

"So Peeta," begins Caesar, and I sit bolt upright, eyes trained on the screen, "if the rebels were listening to you now, what would you say to them?"

The camera slowly pans to the left, revealing a figure dressed all in black, sitting in a seat opposite of Caesar's. I gasp.

Though his suit is rather large, it seems empty. The hand that sticks out of the sleeve, is ghastly white and bony. It seems to be shaking as its owner grips the armrest tightly. Then a close up of his face.

I feel a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as I take in Peeta's face. His cheekbones stick out on his head and his skin is wrapped tightly over his gaunt face. His hair, slicked back onto his head seems dry, thin and pale. The only part that retains colour on his face is his eyes. Blue bags stretch down from his bottom eye lid, while his upper eyelid is red and puffy. It is evident that he has been crying. I look into his eyes and see that they are void of the brilliant blue that is in Aiden.

"I would say," says Peeta in a cracked voice that breaks halfway as he gives into a fit of coughs, "uhm, I encourage the rebels to put down their weapons." He's looking directly into the camera now.

He looks down to his lap and swallows hard and when he lifts his head, I see his eyes are glistening with tears. "Katniss, if you hear this, I plead you to put your weapons down," his voice shakes but he continues "is a war really -"

Suddenly, the screen turns static and I see myself. Overwhelmed, I cup my hands over my mouth.

There seems to be a struggle for control over the broadcast as Peeta appears then disappears again. But then my propo flashes on screen and begins to play. I see myself walking slowly through the District Eight hospital, and bending down to talk to the children before the Capitol broadcast overrides whatever Beetee is doing.

Peeta seems to have seen me. His eyes are wide open, huge on his thin face. "Katniss?" he asks towards the camera. "Katniss?"

"What have they done to you?" I whisper as tears begin to well up in my eyes.

My propo flashes on screen for a second again. I briefly see myself talking to the teenage boy.

Again, Peeta flashes on screen. His eyes strike me through the blurry broadcast, (Beetee must be wreaking havoc in the Capitol's system) they are fearful, but I see a moment of clarity. "Katniss," he shouts, "they're coming for you, all of Thirteen. They're going to kill everyone, no one is -". He struggles to get the last sentence out as guards start to drag him off screen. "Kat-".

The screen goes blank.

* * *

**Hey guys! I got so many positive responses to the last chapter, thank you so much! Please continue to read and review. The internet sometimes can put a distance between writers and their audience but I really like to communicate with you guys.**

**I will do my best to update ASAP! Continue staying awesome! **(｀u ´)ﾉ!

**aypproductions**


	22. Chapter 22

"Peeta!" I cry.

I look towards Effie and see that she has managed to spill her water all over the table, but she doesn't seem to notice.

"Katniss," she says getting up, water has drenched the bottom half of her jumpsuit making her look like she has - "come with me."

She grabs my arm firmly and leads me out of the cafeteria and towards the elevators. The guards try to stop her but she dismisses them with a swish of her hand "**Not **now."

With Effie shooing everybody in our path, we make it down to HQ in record time. Before we reach the door, a siren blares through the speakers above us. "This is a code red emergency evacuation. This is not a drill. This is not a drill. Everybody please make it down to the emergency bunker."

Plutarch opens the door and before Effie gets a word in he says, "I know," turning towards me he says in a calm voice, "we all saw the broadcast. Katniss, I need you to get down to safety in the bunker okay?"

He points towards the swarm of people heading down the stairs. I follow them down quickly.

In the bunker I rapidly get to work looking for my mother and Prim. They should have been evacuated here early as they work in the hospital. I pass Libby who screams to me that she has got Aiden. Good, one less thing . . .

"Mom! Prim!" I shout.

"Katniss!" I hear and I see my mother standing worriedly next to a bunk bed.

"Where's Prim?" I shout over the noise of the people.

"She's not with me!" I barely hear her response over the tumult of the crowd.

"She should be here!" In my muddled mind I somehow manage to put two and two together and -

"Shit."

* * *

**Hey guys! Sorry for the short update but I am really busy with school right now. *Sigh* Anyways, update coming ASAP. Please feel free to leave constructive criticism. I'm always looking for suggestions on how I can improve. **

**Thanks! **

**aypprouctions **


	23. Author's Note

**Hey guys! Sorry for the long break between updates. I've just been really busy as of late and I just came back from a school trip. Thank you for continuing to review and encouraging me to continue with the story. You guys are awesome! **( ◞･౪･)◞

**Don't worry, I am still very emotionally invested in this story. :) (I love the characters that Suzanne Collins made, and I am rather fond of Aiden, hehe). **

**Look for the new chapter tomorrow!**

**Thank you so much! aypproductions**


	24. Chapter 24

She went back for that goddamned cat.

I turn and sprint back the way I came. "Sorry, excuse me!" I say as I squeeze past frantic citizens entering the bunker.

"Attention, the doors of the bunker will be closing in one minute." a voice blared over the loud speakers. I ignore it as I dash up several flights of stairs.

"Prim!"

I strain my ears over the deafening cries of the people and the booming of the bombs that the Capitol has begun to drop.

"Prim!" I scream.

"Katniss!" I barely hear it over the tumult caused by the bombs. But I see a small figure rounding a corner at high speed, with a mass of fuzz in her hands.

"Prim, get yourself down here right now!"

Once she reaches the stairs, I grab her by the arm, pushing her in front of me as we sprint down the spiral staircase.

The only thing I can hear above the bombing is the loudspeaker, "The doors will be closing in 30 seconds, all citizens must be in the bunker."

"Go, go, go!" I shout as we reach the bottom of the staircase. The heavy cement doors are already starting to close.

Prim and I sprint towards the bunker and manage to slip in with only seconds to spare.

"You went back for the cat?!" I splutter, regaining my breath.

"I couldn't live with myself if I didn't!" replies Prim on the verge of tears, breathing heavily.

I take a deep breath and look at my sister. She's panting, clutching an overwhelmed Buttercup close to her chest like a scared young child. I knew what she meant. I go over and wrap my arms around her shaking body. "I know Prim, I know."

. . .

After making sure that Prim was safely tucked into the bunk bed, (she insisted that she take the cat under the covers with her. I couldn't protest but secretly wondered how clean Buttercup was) I walk over to my mom. She is huddled at the edge of her bed, listening to the unrelenting sound of explosions overhead. I sit down next to her as the boom of a large bomb shakes the foundations. We both look up as some of the cement ceiling crumbles and falls as powder onto the ground.

I look towards my mom, who is nervously dusting the dust off her lap. Slowly I lean my head on her shoulder and she doesn't pull away.

I don't remember another time that I had been so physically close to my mother. I had always tried to distance myself from her for fear that she would abandon me again. My mother's absence after my father's death had forced me to become independent and distant, in a time when we needed support.

It felt a bit awkward, leaning on her now but I was too emotionally drained to worry about it.

We sit like this in silence for a while before my mother says quietly, "Where's the baby?" I look up to her in shock, how did she know about Aiden?

"He might need you now, it's rather loud." she says.

I get up quickly, "You're right."

A particularly loud bomb goes off above and my mother instinctively grabs my hand. She smiles apologetically at me before letting go. I smile back.

And we both can feel the forgiveness.

* * *

**And that, my loyal readers is Chapter 23. (Sorry its kinda short).**

**I hope you guys enjoyed it! I think that it was cool to see Katniss and her mother's relationship change as Katniss is kind of a mother herself now. Tehe. **

**I apologize again for the delay in this update but if you guys stick around today . . . wink wink. **(^ー°)

**Please continue to read and review. I could always do with some constructive criticism to improve my writing style. **

**Thank you guys so much and see you soon!**

**aypproductions **


	25. Chapter 25

**Wait WHAAAT? Another chapter in the same day?**

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I weave in and out of the crowed bunk beds to the place that I had seen Libby a short while earlier. She is nowhere to be found, but small persistent cries leads me over to a small portable crib in the corner of the bunker.

My mother was right. Aiden was crying.

No one was tending to the screaming Aiden so after some hesitation, I bend down and pick him up. Effie's voice rings out in my ears again and I quickly slip my arm under Aiden's wobbly head.

The last time Aiden cried, Haymitch had come and taken him from me. But now, I had no idea what to do to stop Aiden's wails. I look down stressfully at the small creature in my arms. His mouth is open revealing toothless gums and his tearless eyes are squeezed shut. His small legs are kicking under his small onesie trying to escape.

I look around the bunker seeking help, but all the people are busy tending to their own business. I look back down to the crib and notice two small bottles of milk. Without hesitating, I reach down, remove one from the bed and attempt to coax Aiden to latch on to the nipple.

After some persuading and awkward coaxing, I his lips wrap around the bottle and his cries diminish as he starts to suckle. I smile at him, relieved, as his eyes open to look up at me.

"Is that better?" I ask softly.

Aiden blinks and continues to suckle, contented.

After he has finished both bottles, I slowly make my way towards Prim and my mother. I am careful to keep his downy head resting on my chest and my hand under his bum.

Prim shoots up the minute she sees Aiden, even though I thought she was asleep. She scoops Buttercup up from the left side of the bed and motions me to sit down next to her.

"Hey, Little Duck." I whisper as I ease myself into the bed. I can see my mother resting on the bed across from us and I don't want to disturb her. Once I am seated, I readjust Aiden so his head is resting in the crook of my arm, facing Prim.

"He's so cute!" says Prim, clutching on to the mass that is Buttercup. Her face is flushed from her little nap and her hair is tousled.

I smile as I play with Aiden's small fingers, marveling at their perfect formation.

Buttercup perks his head up and notices Aiden. He slowly worms his way out of Prim's grasp and turns towards the baby.

"Oh no." I start.

But Buttercup gently sniffs Aiden's hand and after a while begins to lick his fingers. I bite my lip and look over to Prim.

To my surprise, she's smiling ear to ear. "He likes Aiden. Buttercup only licks people he likes."

"Are you sure that it wasn't because I just fed Aiden two bottles of milk?" I say jokingly.

But at the same time I notice that Aiden is not objecting to the feline licking his hand. He just rests, relaxed in my arms with his unfocused eyes trained on the cat as his hand clumsily tries to grab onto some of Buttercup's fur.

"Did you burp him?" Prim asks, matter-of-factly.

"Did I what?" I ask.

But before Prim could respond, Buttercup let out a loud meow and jumped off the bed. I look down to find that Aiden has spit up some of his milk and that is currently drooling down his face.

Buttercup's rather sudden exit must have startled Aiden as his bottom lip starts to quiver.

"What do I do?" I say, panicked.

"You just forgot to burp him." Prim says calmly. She instructs me to sit up and carry Aiden over my shoulder. "Yep, and just gently pat his back."

"Where did you learn all this?" I ask wonderingly once Aiden becomes silent.

"In the hospital," says Prim "they promoted me recently, now I'm training to be a pediatrician."

Her happiness makes me smile.

"They would be stupid not to." I say turning towards my sister who at the moment, seems older than me. "You're going to make a great pediatrician."

Aiden makes a sudden gurgling noise that makes both of us jump. "What's wrong?" I ask the baby gently, while continuing to pat his back.

"Uh, Katniss?" Prim says shyly, pointing towards the back of my jumpsuit.

I crane my neck to see a small trail of spit-up running down my back. "Ugh, gross."

Prim just chuckles and wipes the milk off with a corner of the bedsheet.

She reaches over pats the baby's soft curls, "Not much can make my sister gross out. Good one Aiden."

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**I really enjoyed writing this cute little chapter. I decided to explore Prim's relationship with Aiden (and of course Buttercups!). Please continue to leave constructive criticism! Update coming ASAP!**

**aypproductions**


	26. Chapter 26

**Just in time for the weekend!**

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At first Prim and I thought it was fine, but after ten minutes and Aiden has not stopped spitting up, and I begin to worry. After a bit he developed a cough between episodes.

"Is this normal?" I ask frantically, now with the white stuff all over the front of my jumpsuit. I had already stopped burping him after the first time he spit up, "I didn't even feed him that much."

Prim seems to be stressed as well as she attempts to wipe some of the stuff off my shirt. "I don't think so."

I look at Aiden who is now stressing in my arms. His face is flushed and hot. He hiccups before he spits up again and starts to cry.

"Let me see him." says Prim, reaching over for the squirming creature from my arms. I worriedly hand him over. I look around and notice that many people are staring at us. Babies must be a rare sight in Thirteen.

"Something's not right." says Prim after a long pause. "I think he's sick."

My breath catches in my throat. Aiden can't be sick. "Whats' wrong?" I ask.

"I don't know but I think he needs some medical attention." says Prim professionally.

"But we're in a damn bunker!" I say, panicked, "Where are we going to get a doctor?"

"I think that the bombing has subsided, let me go see if I can get someone." says Prim, and before I can protest, Prim has dashed off with Aiden clutched to her chest. I hadn't noticed that the booms coming from above had stopped.

My sister is usually the calm one, seeing her panicked like this makes me nervous. Something is definitely wrong.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and I look up to see Plutarch. His face seems red and puffy under the dim light of the bunker and his hand is shaking slightly. "Come with me."

. . .

As we walk out of the bunker, I look around to see if I can find Prim or Libby with Aiden, but they seem to have disappeared.

I am momentarily distracted from Aiden when Plutarch leads me into HQ and I see Coin standing in front of a large computer monitor.

"Is Peeta ok?"

Coin pushes a couple of buttons and the monitor goes blank. She turns towards me with a faint smile. "We had eight extra minutes of civilian evacuation due to Peeta's warning, I won't forget that."

I nod, looking at her straight in the face. "Thank you."

Coin turns back to her monitor and the conversation is over.

Plutarch leads me out of HQ and the minute I am alone, I dash towards the elevators and shot straight up towards the hospital.

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**I hope you enjoyed that chapter, please forgive me for it's shortness but trust me, I am working on making them longer. **

**Look for another chapter, possibly this weekend. Feel free to give me a review, I find them really helpful. :)**

**aypproductions**


	27. Chapter 27

**Hope you guys had a great weekend! **

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The hospital is dark. There is only the dim emergency lighting on the walls, giving out a dim glow. I shiver as a draft blows across me from an unknown source.

What strikes me is the silence, the entire floor is empty. All I hear is the sound of my shoes on the cement as I slowly make my way towards the main entrance of the pediatric unit.

A sharp crack and a flash of light makes me jump. I look behind me to find that one of the lighting fixtures on the wall had fallen off the ceiling and short-circuited, causing a sudden zap of light.

I breath and swiftly make my way forward. I see a sliver of light beyond the doors to the unit. I begin to panic as there is still complete silence.

I slowly push open the heavy doors. I squint in the bright light. "Prim?"

No response.

I wonder how the pediatric unit has all this electricity. Was it power stored up for emergencies? For **health** emergencies?

"Prim!" I shout, and I hear a clacking of footsteps in a room down the hallway. I make my way over quickly.

Before I can reach the door, it bursts open to reveal a wild-eyed Libby. She is dressed in white, sterile scrubs with a mask over her mouth. I look past her get a glimpse of large hospital equipment and a heart monitor surrounding a small bed. I hear beeping.

"Katniss," huffs Libby, pulling down her face mask, trying to keep her voice calm, "I need you to go back."

"What's wrong with Aiden?"

"He'll be fine," says Libby hurredly, "I need you to find Haymitch."

"Let me see Aiden."

"Katniss, he's okay, go find Haymitch. He -" Libby's insistence is getting on my nerves, why can't I see Aiden.

"Aiden, is my goddamned son," I say, trying to push Libby out of the way, "I have a right to see him."

"Katniss, I know, but you need to find - he has to tell you something."

"What does Haymitch have to tell me?" I splutter, crossing my arms over my chest.

Libby seems to relax a little as my attention is diverged from Aiden, "I don't know but -"

My hunting instincts snap back into place, the predator is distracted and the prey can make its move. In a split second, I had pushed past her and pulled open the door.

. . .

I almost don't recognize Prim in her hospital get-up, her back is turned towards me as she hovers over the bed. It's only when she looks up to see who has entered to I recognize my little sister.

She doesn't talk, and just goes back to tending to Aiden but I know my sister well enough. I've seen that look in her eyes when a patient brought from District Twelve to my mother was not doing well. I walk along the walls of the room and peer over at Aiden, wondering to myself why he wasn't crying.

My breath catches. Aiden's face is red as he struggles against Prim's hands trying to take his blood pressure. Tubes are connected to his body again. Many of them. One IV snakes from his arm connected to a bag of fluids. Little sensors are connected to his tiny chest, monitoring his heartbeat.

But worst of all, is the one connected to his face. It explains why I couldn't hear his cries. All I can describe it as is a miniature oxygen mask, covering most of Aiden's mouth and nose. I can see the walls of the mask mist up and clear with every one of Aiden's breaths. It is connected to a whirring machine that I guess provides him with oxygen.

My shaking hands cover my mouth.

"Aiden . . ." I find myself whispering.

What was wrong with him? What was wrong with, with my son?"

I jump suddenly as the doors slam open and a disheveled Haymitch barges in, Libby at his heels, "This is a sterile environment Mr. Abernathy, please do not -"

"Shut up." snaps Haymitch, "I ain't going anywhere near the baby." In three strides he reaches me and grabs my arm. "Come on sweetheart, we need to get you on the right page."

He leads me firmly out of the room, shooting a dirty look in Libby's general direction.

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**Any feedback is appreciated very much! Stay awesome guys!**

**aypproductions**


	28. Chapter 28

"What the fuck?" I scream at Haymitch once we exit the pediatric unit.

He spins around, "There's some stuff you need to know."

"What?! Are you going to tell me that I have another child? What is this shit? Why am I Coin's puppet? I - I'm so done with these secrets Haymitch! I can't even protect Aide - " my voice cracks as I hold back tears, "What are you keeping from me?" I finally manage.

Haymitch looks at me gently. Before he says anything, he pulls me into a hug. I stiffen at first, what the heck is going on? But then I just let him, too tired to resist.

"I'm sorry," he says hoarsely when we pull apart, "I know this sucks, sweetheart."

I quickly wipe my eyes with the cuff of my sleeve and nod.

"I know how you feel about Aiden," starts Haymitch, "I wasn't easy for me either."

"What?" I ask looking up, confused.

"Nothing." says Haymitch waving the topic away, "I've got some news for you. They're saving Peeta."

Haymitch's last remark blew away any earlier questions I had for him. "When?! I need to go and help!" I turn towards the exit, my spirits lifting a little, finally they were doing something to save Peeta, not only the propo nonsense.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down sweetheart," says Hamitch, grabbing my arm, "it's already underway."

I stop dead in my tracks, "What do you mean? Why didn't I know about it earlier?"

"A special crew was set up last week, all volunteers, to go into the Capitol and find Peeta. Beetee, along with some help from districts was able to shut down all the computers in the Capitol about fifteen minutes ago. We didn't tell you because we didn't know when Beetee could get into their system."

I think back to this morning when I couldn't find Gale and the others in the cafeteria. It was just Effie with - "What about Gale?!" I ask, with a sudden realization.

Haymitch sighs, "He was one the first brave souls to sign up."

"Gale."

. . .

I feel useless.

After I found out that Gale had volunteered, I just collapsed. It was too much. Haymitch had gently led me back to my living quarters where he left me, promising to come back the minute there was any news.

I had just sat there for goodness knows how long. Looking around at the harsh light around me as though seeing it for the first time. My brain was numb, yet I must to do something.

"My name is Katniss Everdeen," I start slowly, "my sister is Prim, she and mother are safe."

"I was in the Hunger Games," I continue with things I know to be true, "I survived."

"I'm from District Twelve, there is n - no more District Twelve." I start rocking back and forth on the bed, my hands grabbing on to the blankets until my knuckles turn white.

"I am in District Thirteen, Peeta is in the Capit -" my voice breaks but there is more to go.

I take a deep breath in and continue shakily, "Aiden is a baby and he is sick, Peeta is going to make a great father." I know that to be true, for sure.

I can't bring myself to continue on.

But in my mind I know, "and Aiden is our son."

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**Hey guys! I'm going away on a camping trip all of next week with my school (let's hope I don't get eaten by a bear **(ﾟДﾟ;)**), so I'm sorry to say that the new chapter won't be up until next weekend. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and continue to leave comments and reviews. I love to hear from you guys!**

**aypproductions**


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